Thrifty Plaid, Cozy Sweaters & Vests for Fall

I’m loving this plaid trend that has been happening over the past few years. Being from the country and loving nature I’ve always been drawn to plaid and now it is available everywhere. With the weather turning cool and the sun setting earlier and earlier I felt like pulling out the cozy clothes. It’s time to get ready for bonfires, walks in the fallen leaves, corn mazes, and pumpkin everything and these clothes are perfect for all of those things.

Almost all of the following pictures are of clothes I found in local thrift stores. Most of the scarves only cost $1.25. Hope you find some fall inspiration from these and hit your local thrift store for some bargains.

First is this pink vest which I couldn't leave in the store. It's not as versatile as the others but it does give you a pop of color.

I think I will pair this one with a plain gray scarf and matching boots.

Here is the same vest with a cozy white sweater - great for wearing to the theater on a cold evening out.

And here it is again with a cozy plaid scarf.

And another plaid scarf!

How about with a denim shirt underneath.

Next we have a reversible vest, red on one side, black on the other, two vests for the price of one. This would be a great item to take if you were going on a fall trip, say around the Cabot Trail.

This scarf came from Winners, it's the only one I bought that wasn't thrifted.

No plaid here, but a cozy sweater underneath.

Add a colorful scarf and you have a whole new look.

How about a denim shirt and a red plaid scarf. I will wear the red and black vests with black boots.

Here it is with some plaid shirts.

And some plaid scarfs.

Here is a green vest which comes with a removable hood. I sometimes wear this with a wheat colored sweater as well. I'm still looking for a plaid scarf or shirt that will go with it.

This white vest is my favorite and I love to wear it with a light snow fall as well if it isn't too cold.

Here it is with pink gingham.

And more plaid shirts.

I love the white vest as it can be mixed with any color. I wear a multitude of sweaters under it and can pair it with brown, black or even gray boots.

10 Cheap Romantic Ideas for a Disney Vacation

At Disney you can have a fairy tale wedding or help with your proposal, these are the epitome of Disney romance. I saw one of these proposals first hand one night while we were at Fantasmic. There are also all kinds of things you can pay extra for such as flowers in your room, different excursions at your resort and the awesome Safari at Animal Kingdom. But, if you are the average couple who just wants to sneak some romance in on your trip and not spend a lot of money, the following suggestions are for you.

1.  Eat at the Rose and Crown at Epcot. Make your reservation about an hour before the Illuminations show and ask to be seated on the patio – tell them you are willing to wait. They will let you wait for about an hour. This is a fantastic way to see the light show and it is very romantic. If you are travelling with another family you can take turns caring for the children so each couple gets a dinner out on their own. We did this while vacationing with my sister-in-law and her family and it was a fantastic time with my husband, the food was excellent, our waitress recommended drinks and dessert and the show was fantastic, as always.

2.  Watch the Magic Kingdom fireworks from the Polynesian Resort. Take the boat over to the resort before the fireworks start, get a dole whip from the food court located behind the pool area, and select a spot along the water where you can see the castle. If you are early enough you might get the lone hammock, if not it is a good idea to take something to spread on the grass as it might be damp after a rain or from dew. The parade of lights glides through this lagoon before the fireworks start as well. (We were staying on one of the Disney resorts so we were able to take the bus from the Polynesian to Epcot afterwards, where they had extended hours.) We have seen the Magic Kingdome fireworks from a few different locations and I enjoyed this spot immensely.

3.  Get matching shirts or hats or some other matching souvenir. I’ve seen lots of couples wearing the Mickey top hat and Minnie veil, which are adorable. There are also many coordinating Disney t-shirts that are great for couples. We wore matching costumes for the Disney’s not so scary Halloween Party and there are many DIY Disney shirts you can make before you go.

4.  If staying at the Caribbean Beach Resort check out the lagoon, take an early morning stroll along the beach, watch the sunset from the hammocks or take a late night swim in the pool. The main pool is closed at night but the smaller ones, closer to the rooms, are not and they are usually empty – just respect that families are sleeping and keep it quiet. It is usually quite quiet there in the mornings as well if you want to have breakfast at one of the small tables near the pool area – much more romantic than in the busy food court area.

5.  Sneak a kiss in the dark on Space Mountain – just do it before it starts going quickly – remember safety first. We don’t want any emergency dentist appointments!  Hold hands on the boat ride to Magic Kingdom. Remember to take moments to show each other you care wherever you can find them. These two secluded spots are at the Caribbean Beach Resort and they are perfect for a little alone time. If you are travelling with another family, take turns going to fill the refillable cups and take your time getting them :)

6.  There are some shaded, quieter paths through the center of Animal Kingdom where you can stop and smell the flowers, check out some flamingos and even a waterfall. These paths are great for catching your second wind and taking time to enjoy each other. There is also a garden area at Epcot in the Canadian section which is a nice place to slow down as well. Disney has fantastic gardeners and you can find a quiet spot at most of the resorts and parks.

7.  Make sure you stop by the Germany Pavilion in Epcot and buy a pickle ornament to put on your Christmas tree. They box them in tissue paper for you and I brought two home in my luggage successfully. This is a German tradition which we have adopted and now every year we play find the pickle after the tree has been decorated and it also reminds us of our wonderful trip together. Getting a Christmas decoration on each of your vacations is a tradition a friend shared with me and I love the idea.

8.  One thing about staying on a Disney resort is the ability to go back to your room after lunch, sit around the pool, in a hammock or even have a nap. Relax for a couple of hours before heading out for more fun. This is a great way to catch your second wind and we have wonderful memories of quiet pool time away from the crowds. I think this time is critical for having a stress free vacation, especially if travelling with children. It is easy to want to cram as much as possible into your day but you will enjoy everything so much more if you aren't exhausted.

9.  Have the dessert. All the Disney restaurants I’ve tried have been excellent; I love the character meals, the elaborate themes and the wonderful desserts. There are no calories on vacation right? Take the time to enjoy meals together, you need to sit, take a break and refuel. Talk about all the things you’ve seen that day and what you would like to see tomorrow. I highly recommend the Disney dining plan. I love that it is paid for ahead of time and you don’t feel the penny pinch at the time. Dining at Disney is part of the magical experience. Check out allears.net for restaurants you and your special someone would find romantic.

10.  Eat at Flame Tree Barbecue. It doesn't have the most fabulous food but the scenery makes up for it. You eat outside here and if you go all the way to the back you can sit overlooking the water. Very few people go all the way down there and so it is usually quite quiet and peaceful.

These are just a few suggestions and most of them you can do with children, especially if you are travelling with another family. And don’t forget, have your pictures taken together – everywhere. You are going to want to remember these moments. Plan ahead and carve out some time for yourselves, this is the most magical place on earth after all.

Check out these post as well: 
https://shyopinionated.blogspot.ca/2017/06/busch-gardens-vs-animal-kingdom.html
https://shyopinionated.blogspot.ca/2017/06/tips-for-visiting-sea-world.html
https://shyopinionated.blogspot.ca/2017/03/seuss-landing-at-islands-of-adventure.html

Baby Birds

This summer I was blessed to be able to witness the miracle of birth on our front porch. In July I noticed a bird would fly out of a flower box on the front porch railing nearly every time I went out the door. It would fly to a nearby tree and chirp at me. Eventually I got curious enough to investigate further to see what was so interesting in there and I found this adorable nest with three eggs in it.

I immediately took pictures and posted them on Facebook. A friend told me these were snowbirds or Junco birds and when they hatched they would be in the nest for two weeks. She was right. They left the nest two days before the two weeks was up. I believe.

I was so excited that I was going to be able to witness this. I checked on the nest once a day, not touching anything, being careful to make sure the leaves covered the nest back up and trying not to stress the mother. During the two weeks I realized that there were two adult birds watching the nest. This was one of them, I had trouble getting pictures of the adults because they would hide up in this tree.

One Saturday morning I peeked in and realized one of the babies had been born. It was pink, the skin translucent and the eyes were not opened yet. The remnants of the egg was gone so I imagine the mother moved it far away so predators would not find the nest and so the baby would not injure itself on the rough edges. Of course after that I had to check the nest several times and during the course of the day all three eggs hatched.

When I would peek in they would open their little mouths if they were awake. I could see the parents bringing them crickets and other bugs to eat. I set out some bird seed but they did not seem particularly interested in it, although the parents had eaten it during the winter time.

The birds soon started to have their feathers fill out and look more like feathers than fluff and then their eyes opened. They snuggled together and would look at me with interest and no fear at all. They slept quite a lot and seemed to be very content in the nest which they were quickly outgrowing.

The problem with me putting out birdseed was that it attracted the blue jays who became very interested in what was going on in our front yard. They harassed the parents. I would hear them chirping and would go investigate, nervous that a neighbourhood cat had found them, and the blue jays would be in the tree in the front yard taunting the parents. I was very careful not to look anywhere near the nest when they were around. I looked it up on google and it is thought that blue jays might eat baby birds and eggs so it made me nervous.

I really enjoyed this experience and the morning I went out to find they had left the nest I was very disappointed. I really wish I had seen them learning to fly but I will have to be content with the little miracle I received being able to watch them the first two weeks of their lives. I’ve been so blessed.

Fall Bucket List